Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.

Chatbox is down

14 October, 2013 - 9:22pm - pro

Site Information: Forum Policy, Outages, etc.

Our Web host recently discontinued support for PHP 5.2. This has broken the Chatbox, and it's not trivial to fix. The first thing I have to do is update the version of Drupal we are using, and this will require bringing down the entire site for a period of time so I can update it. Drupal is very hard to update (and the developers are proud of the lack of backward compatibility - don't get me started).

I will begin work on the problem this weekend, but I may not be able to resolve it this weekend. It's a lot of programming, and I've been having serious health problems (also affecting my ability to give access to new members). But I know how valuable the Chatbox is, and I will do everything I can to get it up and working again quickly.

contribution

Babarino - 29 Oct 2013 - 11:05am

pro,

I sent a contribution via paypal. thanks for the work you do to maintain this site. -Babarino

Thanks for the work you do, pro!

emilhaller - 29 Oct 2013 - 6:42am

Independently of why or why not the chat is working now, I'd like to thank you, pro, for making this site possible. It has helped me quite a bit and I hope you're doing well and looking out for yourself!

@ Pro

jalla - 29 Oct 2013 - 9:46am

YAY!!!! Thanks so much!xo

Chatbox working now? -- Monday morning Oct 28 USA time

movingalong - 28 Oct 2013 - 9:32am

I don't know why but chat is working at the moment!

Thank you pro, if you fixed it.

Thank you Universe, if it fixed itself!

(and thanks to Pro, either way, for everything you do)

chat's been working all day

movingalong - 28 Oct 2013 - 9:47pm

@ pro

movingalong - 27 Oct 2013 - 5:45pm

Drupal chat options here
(of course i have no idea what version of drupal these work with)
http://success.grownupgeek.com/index.php/2009/03/28/drupal-chat/
I've been a participant in 'parachat' on other support forums, and it works great.

IRC Channel

hidden_motives - 26 Oct 2013 - 4:56pm

Alternatively we could set up an IRC channel pretty easily.

I just made one on Freenodes called #PA. I'm not sure how familiar you guys are with irc though.

Suggestion for while chat is down

Lucky - 26 Oct 2013 - 4:54am

I know some people here have accounts on http://takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/ and if not, it's quick to make one. They're a similar site but focused specifically on tidying up squalor.

Question is: Do we think it would be appropriate to make a 'PA Refugees' room in their chatbox? If not, any better ideas?

(Edit: Pro, I am absolutely not trying to rush you by posting this, I hope you know that. <3)

--
The ’3Ts’ aka ’Timed Task Tomorrow’ method - 3 questions before doing something online:
Is it Timed (set a timer)? Is it a Task? If it's a sudden impulse, can I act on it Tomorrow?

thank you pro

ms - 26 Oct 2013 - 2:58am

thanks so much for everything you do here it is very much apreciated.

I hope your health problems pass quickly.

h.x

thanks for the update, pro!

wrkinprogrss - 20 Oct 2013 - 4:09pm

Thanks for the update, pro--it really helps me to know what to expect!

FYI, I currently use chat more than anything else on the site, and I really like the options of using color and smileys. Thanks for making those add-ons available, in the first place--they all make a great difference for me. :)

Best wishes for your immune-system-calming!

feature removals and outages during site upgrade

pro - 18 Oct 2013 - 4:04pm

I've been thinking about the most efficient way to go about fixing the Web site problems.

Unfortunately, when I built this Web site, I made the mistake of using the Drupal CMS. It's very badly written (I've never seen more inelegant PHP) and thus a nightmare to modify. Plus it is updated with an arrogant disregard for backward compatibility (unlike the far more professionally managed Wordpress).

Every enhancement I've made to this site will break when it's upgraded. Also, because of the unprofessional way that upgrades are written, it's possible that leaving add-ons active during the upgrade could cause the upgrade to fail.

Therefore, in preparation for the upgrade, I'm going to back out every add-on. From your perspective, this will remove many features. For example, the rich text capability (ability to post with text of different colors and sizes) is an add-on, the ability to select from a list of smiley faces is an add-on, the chatbox is an add-on, even the theme this site uses (the overall look) is an add-on. It was written by me in a special way to accomodate a chatbox requirement.

Basically, I will bring this site down to a vanilla form of Drupal before I upgrade, to minimize the chance of an upgrade crashing the site completely. I don't want to lose content. Once the new version of Drupal is installed, I can start adding things back in.

As I do this, one by one you will see features disappear. I'm letting you know what to expect so people don't start writing to me to complain that such-and-such isn't working anymore. When we're back to bare bones, I will bring the site down completely and do the upgrade.

But first, I'll go through the registration backlog and give access to the new members.

Thank you Pro!

InnerTruth - 22 Oct 2013 - 1:56pm

Thanks for all the work you do to maintain this site. It's been a real help to me. Is there anything I can do to help (other than money) as I am not making enough to make ends meet.

Is there a way I can take on the registration tasks?

Thank you, pro

Lucky - 19 Oct 2013 - 3:00am

Thank you, pro <3

Thank you pro

Mole - 18 Oct 2013 - 12:27am

It is just over a year since I first heard you talk on the BBC programme Hamlet's Revenge. Although I don't participate in the chat room being able to check in on this supportive site has changed my life around. I am so grateful to you, dear Pro, and join all the others here in wishing you well.

mole

grateful to be able to help

pro - 18 Oct 2013 - 3:41pm

It makes me very happy that people have been helped by this site and fellowship. Thanks for posting.

-pro

thank you for all the thank you's!

pro - 17 Oct 2013 - 7:41pm

Thanks, everybody, for your support and appreciation. It makes me feel great that this site helps people - that's what keeps me going. (That, and needing the site myself. ;) )

I hope my current health crisis passes quickly. I spent this morning in my doctor's office getting an IV infusion of a powerful immune suppressant (my immune system is so over-enthusiastic, it attacks what it's supposed to defend - me). Hopefully the infusion will help. I'm getting another one in 2 weeks, and another one 6 weeks after that.

Take care of yourself, pro

movingalong - 22 Oct 2013 - 8:45am

There is only one you, so ... Please ... remember to give yourself good self-care.

@pro, hope you're taking care of yourself.

movingalong - 26 Oct 2013 - 6:23pm

Thank you pro!

kromer - 16 Oct 2013 - 3:10pm

The chatbox being down has reminded me just *how much* I use this site, and how much it helps me.

Just sent a contribution, and hope that you feel better! Take care of your self, and I *really* appreciate how much you do for us.

thank you very much, kromer!

pro - 17 Oct 2013 - 7:34pm

I got your contribution to the site, and I really appreciate it. Thank you!

- pro

Thank you pro!!!

katia11 - 16 Oct 2013 - 9:59am

For everything you do!!! I know we haven't gotten to talk much on chat, but I think of you and hope you are doing well :)

I wish I wasn't so incredibly incredibly broke :( I hope someday soon I will be able to makes ends meet so I can make a contribution.

Echoing the comments below, I will help any way I can. Sending healing vibes as well!

Best wishes Pro

knitfisher - 16 Oct 2013 - 4:06am

So sorry to hear you have health struggles that are making life very difficult. I would love it if we could help with the site and the new users, but I know to try and organise that would often be worse than doing it yourself. nevertheless, if you can think of anything, please let us know.

Sending you healing thoughts, and thanks for everything you've done and are doing to provide this site.

Pro - best wishes for your health!

findingaway - 15 Oct 2013 - 6:25pm

Hoping that your health improves soon, and that taking care of yourself is your first priority.

I can only echo what others have said - thank you again for all you do and what you have given us.

The Chatbox is a wonderful tool, but it's you that matters most, we can wait!

Thanks, pro!

wrkinprogrss - 15 Oct 2013 - 1:31pm

Thanks for the news, pro, and for all you do!

I will kick in a contribution, too--it's been awhile, and I really value the site being here.

Good luck with your health issues, and I'll look forward to the return of chat whenever that works out for you.

Thank you, pro!

Mollie2007 - 15 Oct 2013 - 9:31am

pro,

Thanks so much for communicating with us about the situation and for your willingness to invest what sounds like an awful lot of time, on top of all the time you already spend keeping PA alive, and while you're dealing with health issues. You and this fellowship have made a huge difference in my life and continue to do so, and I am filled with gratitude to you and all who come here.

thanks pro

Agnus - 15 Oct 2013 - 8:28am

Echoing jalla here: Thanks so much for your service and leadership here, pro. I remember when I first talked to a PA member on the phone and they said a website was coming soon, I was SO excited! You have truly built the runway for a community of hope that has saved many of us from drowning in despair from this nasty and misunderstood dis-ease. I haven't made a donation in awhile but certainly have thought of it (ha, sound familiar?) so I am adding it to my task list right now so it will bug me until I get it done! Thanks again, pro.

Thanks Pro

jalla - 14 Oct 2013 - 10:00pm

Dear Pro,

Thanks for keeping us informed. Also thank you very much for all the work you do for this site.I will be doing another contribution to PA site this weekend. Especially thank you in advance for the work you will be doing for us on your weekend to try to fix chatbox.We really appreciate it.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

In solidarity,

Jallaxoxo

thanks, jalla

pro - 14 Oct 2013 - 10:08pm

Thanks for your contributions and your support. I appreciate it!